The Angel Thief
by Tulip.scales.512
Summary: Soul finds himself in a difficult situation where his kleptomania goes too far and he steals an angel. But this angel is different than any animals he's stolen in the past; this one has a name and can talk to him. At first Soul is confused and not quite sure how to respond, but eventually he warms up to this angel named Maka. Sooner or later, he has to face punishment for his crime
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_ _This is my contribution to reverb 2015. It's been a long ride, and it's been hella stressful and I could not have gotten through it had it not been for Ness, my wonderful beta and, of course, Puppy, the incredible artist who came up with the original idea. There's a link to her art in my bio, I highly recommend checking out that beauty!_

* * *

"Black Star, you can't do this." Soul heard Maka speak firmly.

"Maka, we've been over this. He deserves punishment for his crimes, and it's our job to carry it out. You should be with me on this. You've always said to do the right thing, no matter how hard it may be. What's changed?" the voice of her companion came back with equal firmness.

Soul wished they had their conversation somewhere else. It was not like a simple tent and some rope around his wrists would affect his ability to hear them talking. Especially if they were right outside the tent.

"'What's changed?' You're actually asking me that? Oh, I don't know, maybe a certain death has changed my opinion on some things." Maka retorted.

Soul knew that Black Star had nothing to say to that. He did not know the man at all, but he could still perfectly picture his solemn expression at her words.

"Look Maka, I know how you feel about this but-"

"No you don't know how I feel about this. I feel a lot of things, and I've only made one thing clear which is you _can't do this."_

"This is the only thing we can do. We have to, and you know that. You've always taught me never to let someone talk you out of things that you feel an absolute need to do. I'm doing this for you, Maka."

"Black Star, you… you can't." Maka's voice was soft and Soul could almost hear the beginnings of tears in her words.

Soul shut his eyes so tight that it hurt. He didn't want to hurt Maka. He would not have cared less about his fate if it weren't for her. How could she possibly have come to care for him so much after all that happened?

 _Nothing has really changed, has it?_

That cursed voice came into his head again. The voice that was smooth, but gritty, the one that sent chills throughout his whole body every time it uttered a word.

"A lot has changed," he whispered aloud to the voice.

 _You're running away. Losing the only person you care about. You're running away. And thinking of how much the people around you will miss you. No one will. Just because you care about them, does not mean that they care about you._

"No. All that she said to me. All that we've been through. All that we've shared."

 _Right, all that you've been through. Meaning all that you did to her? You think she's forgiven you? You honestly don't think she was trying to deceive you so that you would let her go? You know how people are. They're untrusting. They're deceptive. They're liars. Just like you._

Soul wanted to claw out his eyes, tear off his ears, do anything to stop the words from coming or lessen the pain of them. But the voice was a constant and nothing he could do, even if his hands were free, could stop it. The only thing he could do was listen to it like he had been doing for who knew how long.

 _You've been through it all before. You know how it goes, and yet you still want to believe things will be different?_ _ **Pathetic!**_

The last word was spat out at him, every bit enunciated right down to the last letter.

As much as he wanted to believe that it was different this time, that he might have changed, that maybe just maybe things would work out, but after all he did to her, and all that had happened, there was only one thing he knew for sure;

The voice was right.

* * *

The winter was harsher than normal. There were fiercer winds, stronger snowstorms, and colder temperatures. Even with three layers underneath his thick, heavy winter cloak, Soul still was not warm enough. And on top of all that, animals were scarce in such weather, which meant a very low supply of food.

This winter was not going to be fun.

Soul stopped at his favourite tree to rest for a moment. He was still a ways away from his cave, but he had been walking for quite some time, and he did do a fair bit of walking the previous night with the added weight of his latest… catch. So his fatigue was justified.

He climbed up to the lowest branch of the tree and sat there, trying not to think of his current predicament.

What he did was not illegal, he merely helped a poor creature in need. She was hurt and he brought her to shelter. Was there anything against providing help and comfort for someone who needed it?

He leaned his head against the tree and shut his eyes so tight that it hurt. That was all bullshit and he knew it. Of course he could not let her go, but if he kept her then he would be a criminal.

What was he to do?

The best quality of Soul's home, in his opinion, was the fact that it was hard for others to find. There were vines and moss covering the mouth of the cave, and the greenery allowed for more camouflage to hide from predators. Or people. Which, in Soul's mind, were the same thing.

At first it was just a place to hide out during storms, but soon after, it became a home for him. The ceiling was about twice as high as he was, and then the cave led into a large area that had a ceiling five times that height, at least.

He parted the vines that fell over the mouth, and walked inside. He made his way over toward the large open area to check on the animals in cages hanging on long chains from the stalactites on the roof of the cave.

Soul noticed the animals seemed more restless today; they were noisier, and the air of the cave felt off, amiss, just... wrong.

He reached out a hand to calm a griffin he had named Westley. It was his favourite animal, but he hated the name. It got its name one night when Soul was shouting to himself, and somehow the name slipped out of his mouth and the griffin responded to it. It was the only animal in his whole collection that actually had a name, and he supposed that was probably a good thing.

Westley nuzzled his hand and Soul felt his mouth twitch into the faintest of smiles. This was his favourite animal in the cave, but it still wasn't anything like his hippogriff. Everything he had done for the past who knew how long, bringing in all the animals here all trying to replace Griff, didn't even matter, because nothing could ever come close. He never knew how rare hippogriffs were until his was gone.

There was a loud metal clang that startled Soul. He turned around to see the source of the noise. It came from a small scared creature he had brought back the night before hiding in the corner of her cage. He easily looked over this one on his way inside the cave, as he was not yet accustomed to the darkness.

She was holding her head, and her face looked pained. She was a beautiful creature, blonde with the greenest eyes he had seen and her wings as pure and white as snow. She was nothing like the animals he had in his collection. She had striking beauty, and it pained him to see her eyes filled with such fear at the sight of him.

She pulled her gaze away from him, with a hard jerk of her head. He let out a sigh and walked past the cage to his old tattered couch, to grab a blanket, muttering, half to himself, half to the new creature.

"You look cold, I should go and grab-"

"N-no, I'm not."

Soul stopped dead in his tracks. That was a voice. Not a voice inside his head, not demon haunting him; possibly a hallucination, but he doubted it.

He turned around to look at the cage. Was it her?

"D-did you say something?"

She nodded in response.

"Y-you… you speak English?"

Another nod.

Soul was surprised, shocked, completely dumbstruck by hearing an actual voice. A voice speak his language. A voice that wasn't a screech of an eagle, or roar of a griffin.

"Are you sure you're not cold? There's a blanket right here?" he sputtered out. He was not used to actually interacting or talking with anyone. It was all so new to him.

She shook her head to tell him she was fine.

Obviously, she didn't want to speak. Maybe she didn't know much English. Maybe she was shy. Soul shook his head. _Maybe_ she was terrified of being captured by some crazy, white-haired lunatic with demonic red eyes and sharp fangs.

He didn't know what to do. What should he do? He was terrible at conversation, and she clearly did not want to talk to him. Knowing she could understand what he says meant that he couldn't talk his troubles out. Maybe he could-

"Who are you?" Her voice spoke out again. Her voice was small, a little high, and it had a very nice melodic sound to it. He liked her voice, although he was not accustomed to hearing voices that didn't resonate inside his head giving him a migraine."Who are you?" She repeated, firmer this time.

Soul was taken aback by the authority in her tone. He gulped and answered, "My name is Soul. I-I'm… I don't know who I am, to be quite honest. Just, my name is Soul."

She nodded, seeming satisfied enough with his answer.

"D-do _you_ have a name?" Her head shot up, surprised at his question.

"Maka."

 _Maka._ It was a nice name. He liked it. He had never heard it before, and yet, he knew it was somehow made just for her. It was perfect for her. Now knowing this name, her face and eyes just whispered softly, _Maka._

She turned her gaze from him, and he suddenly realised how long they had been staring at each other. The way her head turned away towards the floor of her cage reminded him of her… his… _their_ situation. She was still a scared creature, there was no escaping that.

"I'm… gonna head out. See if I can find some… firewood." She nodded in response and he left quickly, thankful for the fact that he had not yet rid himself of his winter layers.

He took off in a sprint; running as fast as he could until he slipped on the snow and fell, tumbling down a small hill.

He pounded his fists against a tree, spewing every curse word he knew at himself.

He shouldn't have done this. What was he going to do?

She could talk, understand him, have a conversation. What else could she do?

 _You've finally done it, haven't you?_

The voice in his head came back. Gritty, smooth, it felt like fingernails digging at his skull and he hated it.

 _There's nothing you can do now. You're a criminal now._

No. He jammed the heels of his hands into his eyes. He didn't want this.

 _You stole an angel._


	2. Chapter 2

Maka towered over Black Star's seat on the log. Her new wings made her just a tad taller than him. Black Star still refused to accept them as actual height however.

She had her hands on her hips, a clear sign of her anger, but Black Star could only think of when they were younger and she would do the same when he stole her food. What he wouldn't give to go back to the simple times.

"Black Star, I've told you already, you can not do this."

"Maka, can we just drop it, maybe?"

"This is serious, of course we can't just drop it." Her voice went up into a shriek and Black Star lowered his forehead into his hands.

"I don't mean that we're done with the argument - god knows you'll never be done with it. I just want to take a break from it, calm down for a minute and just sit and talk maybe." He looked up to meet her softened gaze. "You've been gone for so long and then the first thing we do when you come back is yell at each other."

Maka sat down next to him with a sigh. "All we did _before_ I left was yell at each other. Granted it was never over something quite like this."

A nervous laugh escaped his lips. "Yeah I guess you're right. About _both_ things."

"But it is serious, Black Star."

"Yeah, I know, I just want to take a break from arguing for now. Please?"

"Fine. You've always hated talking about anything serious, so obviously, you haven't changed a bit." She nudged him with her shoulder.

"Hey, I've gotten seriouser in the past. You could say I'm a better person than I was."

"Still not one for grammar, I see." He gave her arm a little shove and she shoved back harder. When he sat back up straight, he smiled at her, happy to have her back. Have _this_ back.

"It hasn't been the same around here without you." Black Star told her.

"Of course not. You can't expect it to be the same after you've lost one of your team members."

"Maka, how can you be so casual about that? Honestly, you leaving is not something to be taken lightly, you know."

"I thought you wanted to avoid serious topics."

"But this is the good kind of serious."

Maka picked her head up and arched an eyebrow at Black Star. "You think it's a good kind of serious? How is it good?"

"That's not what I meant. I meant it like, it's the kind of seriousness that I'm okay with talking about."

"Did you ever think that someone else may not like to talk about it?" Maka's eyes widened in surprise. Why was she surprised?

"I'm sorry." Black Star said, scratching the back of his neck, feeling bad for pressing the subject and not taking into account how she might feel. "I didn't think of that."

"It's fine, don't worry about it." She said, clearly trying to brush off the subject.

"It's just that I missed you, Maka." He chided himself for continuing on. Didn't she just make it perfectly clear she didn't want to talk about this? "Just ask Tsubaki. She knows better than anyone."

"Tsubaki, huh? Have you two finally sorted out your feelings for each other?" She nudged him with her shoulder.

"It's complicated."

"Complicated like you've told her and she doesn't want to start anything, or complicated like you still need to straighten out your feelings about her to yourself before you bring it up?"

"The first one you said." he grumbled.

"Really? I thought she really liked you?" Maka always knew the two of them so well, and had always tried to get them together. It was good to know at least that much hadn't changed.

"Well, apparently she did, but she said that I got too wrapped up in the whole angel thief thing that she thought I wasn't ready to start something serious with her."

"Oh," she said plain and simple. She almost sounded disappointed.

A silence fell upon their ears as neither one knew what to say next. It wasn't like the conversation went somewhere that couldn't have been taken anywhere. Honestly, Black Star expected Maka to comfort him, like she always did. She was always the one to encourage him to talk to Tsubaki, and it was her to make him feel better and not think so bad about himself.

It was Maka who spoke up first, (like always) saying "How did you guys learn so much about Soul - or the angel thief, as you call him - anyway?"

"Oh that? We met this band of, nomads as they called themselves, and they told us a bit about him."

She smiled that familiar smile at him "Oh?"

* * *

After the loss of one of their most beloved members, the assassins' camp was wary of anyone who approached. But their gentle hearts welcomed a band of fortune tellers, despite their shady reputation. At the fire, they exchanged songs and stories, though their conversation quickly fell to more deeper topics, trailing to darker tales.

Spirit glared into the flicker of the flames, spitting out his distaste for the unjustly death of his daughter, only to be met with cautious eyes of the leader of the strangers.

"You know, we recently heard of this one man with a very interesting story, if you'd like to hear it." offered Joe, the leader, and only man in the group of fortune tellers.

"Oh?" Liz said.

"Oh yes, it was a man who thought he ran away from his path but actually, he was following it perfectly. So on his way trying to, what he thought was getting back on his path, he actually got lost. And then, things in his life kept driving him farther away from his path, to the point where he lost all hope."

"Gee, that sounds depressing." Patti exclaimed in a loud exuberant voice, placing her hands on Liz's shoulders.

"What happened to him?" Liz asked, shaking her younger sister off of her.

"Nothing yet." Nicole, the blonde one, answered. "He's getting closer to being turned in the right direction, but he's still very far off the path."

"What's pointing him in the right direction? Do you know?" Black Star was curious, despite the fact that he was trying hard to stay neutral faced.

"That same thing that demonizes him in the public's eye."

"Whassat mean?" Patti asked.

"This is a man who is known for one crime." Joe began, talking in a low voice. "A crime that will, actually, in the end, help him get back on track. He's a man that is known for getting lost on his path to find himself. He's a good man, but no one talks about the good in people. They only talk about the good that they've done. But everyone loves to talk about the bad in people. Any wrongdoing gets blown out of proportion and their face and reputation becomes marred by society."

"What makes him a good person, Joe?" Liz asked, losing her poker face.

"That's an excellent question, but before I answer, may I ask you all this; what do _you_ think makes someone a good person?"

They all stopped a moment. Everyone should have expected him to say that, and yet it caught them off guard. Sitting and pondering in silence, it seemed that no one could come up with anything.

"Well, it's definitely not never doing bad things in life." Patti spoke up suddenly, rolling over with her stomach on the ground, kicking her legs back and forth. "Because _everyone_ does bad stuff. Maybe it's more like it depends on how bad you feel when you do bad things. Like if you do something bad and then feel… what's the word, sis?"

"Guilty?"

"Yeah, that's it! So it's like, when you do something bad, and you realise that it's bad and you feel guilty about it."

"That's a very good answer, Patti," one of the other fortune teller women congratulated her.

"Would you agree, Black Star?" Joe asked.

"I would say it makes sense. A good person is someone who realises what they've done and does everything in their power to fix it."

"Oh, not quite, dear." Blair shot quickly.

"What do you mean?"

"You're close, but just a little off." She said, a little too perkily for his taste. It was bad enough he had to deal with Patti on a daily basis, he did not need the added bouncy personality.

"How am I off? That's exactly what Patti said."

"Well, almost," Joe said. "There is a slight difference. You can still be a good person without trying to fix all that you've done. Now I do think you should try to ultimately resolve those things, but if it would cause more harm, or if it is impossible at the time, then naturally, you shouldn't try to fix it. But realising that it needs to be straightened out and knowing full well the extent of the severity of your actions and owning up to the fact that you've done wrong is what ultimately makes you a good person. Obviously, there's more to it than that, and one could discuss it for hours on end, but that's a nice strong definition."

He looked over at Black Star, a challenging look in his eye mixed with a slight charm.

"But Mister Joe," Patti raised her hand, leaning her head to the side after taking away one of its supports. "What about the man you were talking about earlier? What all did he do that he feels bad about?"

"Well, you see, Patti, he committed one of the many taboos in our society. Very rarely does something like this happen, and it's a wonder how so many people have already heard of it already, considering how well he's hidden himself from the world."

"What are you talking about? What does this have anything to do with our previous topic?" Spirit's low and quiet voice cut through the casual atmosphere, bringing all eyes to him.

Joe hesitated before continuing onwards. "He's… an angel thief."

Black Star doubled back. "What? Why does that even matter?" he demanded.

"Well first, tell me, do you know what an angel is?"

"I always thought they were a myth." Liz said.

"No, they're definitely real. It's just that you don't see them very often."

"Why?" Patti asked.

Nicole cut in, "An angel is created when someone does a righteous or noble death."

"Indeed," Joe nodded at his colleague. "And this man, is rumoured to have found an angel, kidnapped it-though it can't be much of a rumour, all things considered. It is said that he is now hiding it somewhere deep in the forests or mountains. No one knows for sure where he really is though."

"But you said what made people talk about him is also helping him get back to his path. So is it the angel that's helping him?" Patti said.

"Very good." Joe smiled at her. "There are different kinds of angels with different powers. This certain angel has the power of healing, and she is helping him, healing him, and trying her best to help him get back to the path he started out on."

"It's a her?" Spirit asked, voicing everyone's surprise.

"Mmhmm!" Blair hummed with her bright pink lips pressed together. "The minute he found her, his fate was doomed, soon to be marked as a demon. If you think about it, it's the classic love story between an angel and a demon."

"Indeed it is. But how will it turn out in the end is the question." Nicole pointed out.

"No one can really know that." Spirit offered, though distractedly as he stared into the fire, deep in thought.

"You speak truth, my friend." Joe said cheerfully. "Well, having said that, I do think that we have _well_ overstayed our visit, so we should be heading out." Everyone stood up, Joe and his friends preparing for departure. "It was incredibly kind of you to extend your hospitality and let us stay for dinner and conversation. Who knows? Maybe we'll meet again in the future."

"You're welcome, and I'm sure meeting again would be nice. But next time you provide the food." Spirit joked, as he grabbed Joe's hand to shake, still looking distracted, annoying Black*Star.

"It's a deal."

They all bade them goodbye, and Patti made sure to give each of them a hug, and before they knew it, they were gone.

Black Star wandered over inside his tent, exhausted from a long day. As he lay under a very thin blanket, he tried his best to forget all that they had said. The thoughts still swarmed in his head and they lulled him to sleep, and upon waking in the morning, he had finally come to a conclusion; he hated fortune tellers.

But Spirit came to his own conclusion that morning as well. The creation of an angel. The angel thief. His missing daughter. Pieces of a puzzle were coming together, all leading to the inevitable truth that Maka had become an angel.


	3. Chapter 3

"You're just as stubborn as ever, aren't you?" Maka said to Black Star as he finished regaling the story of meeting with fortune tellers.

"Look who's talking," He said, nudging her with his elbow. She missed this banter; she'd be lying if she said she hadn't. All the happiness and camaraderie, she missed being so casual and carefree. It was all so familiar, yet it had been ages since she'd experienced it.

"'Sides," he added, folding his arms back behind his head. "You'd have agreed with me. We need justice."

"You're joking, right?"

"What do you mean? You're saying you would have let them talk you into forgiving any criminal because you found out they had lived a poor life? What was it you told me? 'Tragedy does not excuse monstrosity?'"

"I'm saying I have a brain and I have ears and would have thought that maybe what they were saying actually means something."

"You don't know that, you weren't there. One look at those bastards and you would have thought the same thing as I did. Or have you changed that much since you left?"

"What the hell are you talking about? You think I wouldn't have listened and thought about what they said before I left? Do you even know me?"

They were both standing up and shouting again at this point. Maka thought of how she was just reflecting on the casual and happy conversation. It figures that it wouldn't have lasted long, given the circumstances of why she was back.

"Of course I know you, or at least I did! Why have you changed so much, Maka? What happened to the old you? What is this new person and where the fuck did they come from?"

"Black Star," Tsubaki's warning voice came up. Black Star instantly dropped his gaze to his feet and his shoulders slumped. Maka could tell he was already regretting shouting. "Black Star, Patti wants to speak with you."

He nodded a silent apology and jumped over the log, over exaggerating his normal swagger.

"Sorry about him, he's been a little… irritable lately." Tsubaki said to Maka.

"Yeah? And exactly how long is 'lately'?" she replied, sitting down on the log with an exasperated sigh.

"Oh, you know." Tsubaki said, with an air of elegance that only she was capable of, sitting down with that same poise and grace. "So… How have you been since you...you know."

"What do you mean how have I been?"

"Just tell me about your life as an angel. What's it like? Is there anything...new?"

The way she stressed that last word made Maka want to laugh. Of course there were new things, but what exactly did Tsubaki want to know?

"Well, I guess there is something new. Let me tell you about this one time when-"

"Wait," Tsubaki interrupted her. "Is there a story you can tell me about you and Soul?"

"Um yes, why?"

"No reason, carry on." There was a mischief in her voice, one of the only things that ever replaced her calm, elegant tone, though there was a little bit of sadness in her eyes.

"Okay..." Maka side eyed her, suspicious of her intentions and thoughts behind her tone. Then she perked up, having thought of something to ask in return. "I'll tell you about Soul and what's new in my life, if you tell me about you and Black Star finally got around to talking to each other about your feelings for each other. Like, who asked who, and who talked to who, and all that."

"Deal."

* * *

Maka was woken up by very loud grunting followed by a loud clap of thunder. She sat up and rolled her neck and shoulders. After three months of sleeping in that metal cage, she would never get used to it.

The grunting continued, sounding weaker and more weary by the second. It was too dark in the cave to see anything, but she could tell it was not an animal that was making the noise.

If it was a human, that meant it was either Soul,-but he shouldn't have been out; it must be the middle of the night and storming terrifically,- or it was another traveller, maybe a kidnapper or something equally threatening that Maka couldn't think of in the fear of the moment.

The grunting was getting closer, and now she could hear another set of sounds. These new noises weren't grunts- and they weren't from a human. She knew it was an animal, and definitely one she recognised, and it sounded injured and in pain.

The grunting stopped and she heard something - or someone? - fall to the ground just outside her cage. Lightning flashed in the sky, illuminating the cave for just enough time for her to see a head of white hair on the floor next to a red stained griffin.

Her heart stopped. What happened to the griffin? Did Soul hurt it? No, of course not. He wouldn't do that, that's not like him. But how did it get hurt?

She called it over to her, hoping with all that she could that it could make the very short journey over within arms reach of her. She held her arm out in hope that she would feel it if it came over to her. The rain drummed on the roof of the cave, it was loud and heavy, and made it hard to hear whether or not the griffin was moving toward her or not.

Normally the rain was calming to Maka. She would hear it and feel at peace, even if there was danger, the sound would comfort her and help her keep a level head. But this time was different. It was violent rain, and there was something about it that made her blood pressure spike and heart rate speed up.

She dropped her hand, losing all hope of the griffin's mobility. Her head dropped, and it rested against some of the bars, and she felt a tear roll down her cheek.

Why was she crying? She didn't need to cry, and yet the tears were coming. They poured down her face like the rain did the outside of the cave.

Her eyes wanted to stay closed, wanted a break, wanted to go back to sleep. She was almost about to decide to lie down, when she felt something soft brush against against her knee.

She jolted up, reaching forward to feel what touched her. The feathers that led down to the enormous wings were unmistakably that of a griffin. Her hands moved along the rest of its body to find the wound. When she felt moisture at the joint connecting the leg with the rest of the body and heard the griffin groan and lurch back slightly, she knew that was her target.

She brushed a hand on its head, smoothing out its feathers and trying her best to calm it down while she placed her other hand over the wound. Her palm was getting soaked in blood, from facing the injury. She felt uneasy, but she knew she had to do this.

This was the first time she attempted anything like this, so she wasn't exactly sure how it worked. She tried thinking hard, willing it to work, trying everything she could think of, but nothing worked.

The tears started to flow once again, and it gave her one last idea. She wiped her tears on her fingers and pressed them into the wound. The griffin groaned out loudly in pain, and she hated to think that she was causing it more pain. Especially if she didn't know if this method would work.

After a short moment, it stopped groaning, and the tears and blood on Maka's hand started to dry up.

Did it actually work?

The griffin stood up shakily, and let out a tremendous screech. It sounded majestic and terrifying at the same time. Maka felt privileged to hear such a sound up so close, but at the same time, felt that it could kill her by simply entering her ears.

It lowered its head to her knees again as if thanking her. She reached a hand out to stroke its feathers, thinking it a suitable way to show she accepted its gratitude.

Another flash of lightning lit up the room long enough to show the glory of the newly healed griffin, and Soul's body lying limp on the ground.

She panicked, cursing at herself for forgetting about him, and she reached as far out of the cage as she could, to see if she could get to him. She grabbed onto his arms and dragged him closer to the cage. She pulled him up onto her knees that were sticking out of the cage.

In her panic, she had to remember how to check a pulse, and had to calm herself down, had to keep her head on straight.

Why was she so uneased? She barely knew him and yet she was terrified at the thought of him being gone? She paused her frantic search for a pulse briefly to stop and think. Was it because she was scared of feeling partly to blame if he died? Was it because she started to realise that he's not that bad a person and he simply needed help from someone? Was it because, if he died, there would be no way out of the cage and no way of getting food again?

After resuming her search for a pulse, relief washed over her as she confirmed that Soul was still alive. She figured - once she had calmed down enough to come up with a rational diagnosis - it was just extreme fatigue that made him collapse.

Before she could think twice, she asked the griffin to grab the blanket from the couch. She chided herself for thinking a griffin could understand what she was saying, when, much to her surprise, the griffin walked over, and brought the blanket back, dropping it from its beak onto the floor next to Soul.

After getting over her shock, she grabbed the blanket and spread it over Soul's body. Without even thinking, she began running her fingers through his hair and humming to him. He was already asleep, so it wasn't like he needed a lullaby, but it felt natural, it felt… right.

* * *

"So you were pretty scared when he almost died?" Tsubaki had practically been on the edge of her seat the whole story. Why she was, however, Maka had no clue.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Did you ever figure out why?"

"Probably because I was just scared that someone could possibly have just died in front of me, and maybe because I was afraid that there was no way out if he died."

"Okay, that makes sense. Was he asleep for long?"

"He was unconscious for two days. After that I made him promise to take better care of himself, because he was probably overtired, underfed, and most likely dehydrated. He promised and then he told me that I shouldn't have to stay in a cage anymore and he let me out."

"But Maka, if he let you out, then why didn't you come back to us? You were free so you could have escaped."

"I couldn't leave because I felt like he needed the help, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. After that, we became much closer, not having that block in our relationship."

"Oh? So you and him grew closer?" Tsubaki said, the mischief in her voice returning full power.

"Tsubaki, that doesn't mean anything except for we actually talked and became friends. Now, about you and Black Star?"

Tsubaki yawned big and wide, and Maka finally noticed how late it was. Black Star said that they would follow through with their decision tomorrow. That was too soon.

"Can I tell you tomorrow? It's getting kind of late, and I need sleep."

"Can you tell me tomorrow? Or will you casually 'forget?'"

"I promise I will, Maka. That is, if you…" she trailed off.

"If I what?"

"If you still want me to. You know, after…" Oh, yeah that. Of course Tsubaki would be concerned for how she'd feel after that.

"Of course I'll want to hear it. Now, good night Tsubaki."

"Good night, Maka." She waved as she walked off toward her tent.

"Thanks for the concern." Maka said softly to herself.

Would she be alright after… Now, it wouldn't happen. No, it won't. She won't let it.

But still, the doubt that filled her mind, that weighed down on her heart, was too much. As much as she tried to be hopeful or be the optimist, she didn't believe a word of reassurance she told herself.

There was nothing she could do.


	4. Chapter 4

Soul's eyes burned from being awake for too long. He needed to sleep but he knew at any point, something was going to happen. He knew it, he could feel it. Something about the air, the night, the atmosphere, felt like it was leading up to something. He tried to convince himself nothing important would happen, tried to convince himself that air was filled with silence and not anticipation, tried to convince himself that if he was thinking something would happen, it was just fear of the inevitable punishment he'd receive for his crimes.

 _Why would anything happen to you except consequences?_

The voice came back, haunting in his conscious mind, and one of the many tortures he had to endure in his life. It echoed through his skull and was amplified by the silence that engulfed him in the tent.

 _You know what will happen, you just keep letting yourself get carried away with hopeful thoughts even though you know, deep down, that they're all worthless. You know your fate, it's been your fate since you stole that angel. You deserve it, and you're going to get it. You'll finally be-_

"Soul?" The soft and sweet voice of Maka came out in a whisper, breaking through the voice in his head. She was his saviour whenever the voice started taunting him, whenever she spoke the voice ran and hid. She was a shining light, a beacon of hope. Funny how that worked, since she was the angel that originally brought about his need for his inevitable punishment.

"Soul, are you awake?" She stepped into the tent, silent on her lighter-than-air feet.

"Mostly," he groaned out his reply, sitting up straighter against the tent pole he was tied to. Maka strode over so gracefully it was like she was floating. She descended down to a sitting position on the ground next to him like snow falling so peacefully to the earth.

"How are you doing?" She placed a hand on his knee and he felt a calmness wash over him.

"Oh, you know, my wrists feel a little sore, my back kind of stiff, and my head hurts from all the arguing that your blue haired friend thinks I can't hear because of the, oh, so thick tent walls. So, I'd say I'm feeling, all in all, pretty grand."

Maka breathed a laugh out through her nose. "Sorry," she said as she leaned her head on his chest. She felt soft and warm, and the urge to fall asleep reveling in her heat, in her serenity, in her safety, was overwhelming.

"Maka," he breathed out after a long moment of still silence. She looked up into his eyes and he could see leftover redness and puffiness, likely from tears she had recently shed. "I want to hold you in my arms."

"You can't… _I_ can't. If I untied you, then I would be going against-"

"Against what? Maka, I'm not going to escape, you know that. All I want to do is feel you in my arms. And maybe check my wrists for rope burn."

Maka sat up and moved to sit in his lap, making sure it was alright and didn't make Soul uncomfortable. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her head against his neck and breathed in heavily. He felt her chest expand against his and he cursed the rope that bound him. He needed to feel her, wrap her up in a tight embrace, he missed her. He wanted her- _needed_ her.

They sat there in mutual silence, a stillness engulfing them, and Soul wished that moment could remain for an eternity. He wanted to talk to her, say something, anything. Because, for all he knew, they might be separated after tonight. He wanted to have conversation, wanted to be filled with her voice, to hear the sweet tune that just a few words floating off her lips could create, to hear the melody of Maka so he could never forget her. But he knew he couldn't.

He shouldn't break the quiet, stop the moment. Maka came inside for a reason, and if she had something she needed to say, then she would eventually say it in her own time.

The time passed so slowly, and yet, so fast. It felt like they had been sitting there for hours, but, at the same time, it only felt like a few minutes. Soul could feel moisture trailing down his collarbones, and the sound of soft sniffles broke through the silence.

He turned his head to press a light kiss to her hair. "Maka." His voice barely came out in a raspy whisper, just barely audible. Still, Maka picked her head up to look at him.

"Soul," was all she could get out before dropping her head, burying it in his chest.

Soul brought his knees up which was about as close to holding her as he could get.

"It's alright, Maka. Everything will be fine." Did Soul even believe that? He knew it would all be fine for him, but would it be for her? He was perfectly content with taking his punishment, it's what he needed and he was surprised he hadn't done it himself yet. But now, with Maka in his life, could he really...

"Don't say that, you don't know what will happen. You don't even know what they're planning." Soul could hear the sadness and tears in her voice. It shook and it broke, and it killed him.

"Maka, of course I know what they're planning. I already mentioned that Blue Hair out there doesn't understand the soundproofing of the piece of cloth that is this tent."

"Stop making jokes, this is serious." Maka shook against his chest, and he tried his best to keep himself steady, heaving deep breaths, to calm her.

He wanted to give in, join her in her sorrow and cry with her. Maybe his fatigue and weariness were signs that his natural parting from this world was coming. Maybe if he allowed himself this one last night of tears, he would pass on, die in his love's arms, much better than all the previous times he tried.

But no, he wouldn't let himself. For Maka's sake. If anything, he needed to do it for Maka. He needed to stay with her.

 _No you dont. You think she wants to stay with you? What would make you think that? You know she doesn't want you._

Soul didn't know how to respond to the voice. He couldn't speak out loud with Maka right there, and the voice had gotten too strong to reply to it with his own thoughts. All he could do was let it keep going.

 _It's fake. Anything you may think she feels is something you've made up. You just want something to help you, maybe you think that having someone care for you will drive me out. Well, guess what? I've only been getting stronger and there's no way to get rid of me._

"Maka?" Soul whispered.

"Hm?" she hummed against his chest, her crying had lessened significantly; it was now down to the occasional sniffle.

 _You really think she can make me go away? Are you even listening? I'm much stronger, and you're just as weak as ever. There's nothing you can do. You're worthless, and can't do anything useful in life at all._

"Maka, talk to me."

 _There's no point. What are you even trying to do?_

"About what?" She picked up her head off his chest and turned her gaze to him. He could barely see her in the darkness, but he had memorised her facial expressions, knew how she would react to various things, and could easily conjure up an image of how she looked.

 _About nothing. No matter what she says, you'll never drown me out._

"About anything. Tell me a story. About something that makes you happy. Something that makes you feel better. Something that makes you smile."

 _What are you trying to do? You think that that will help you? Pitiful!_

"Well a lot of things make me happy. Like the sunshine, rain, pineapples…"

"Oh, I love pineapples."

"How about you tell me what makes you happy?" she said, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

 _Bad question there. You don't deserve to be happy and you know that. So what's the point in talking about it._

"There are a few things that make me happy. Your voice, your eyes, you…" She grinned wide, and he could see her bright white teeth in the scarcely lit dead of night.

 _What do you know, all the things that make you happy are things you don't deserve either._

"Tell me of a time when you felt really happy. Like pure happiness."

 _Does not exist. You've never had a moment of pure happiness in your life. Parents that hated you, a brother that only pretended to tolerate you, when in reality he rejoiced when you left. Then the only thing that kept you company ran away because it hated you too. And then you tried to fill that void and it was only more hate towards you that you created._

"I've got it." Soul said forcefully, as if trying to will away the voice.

"You know of a time?"

"Yeah, I definitely know of a time." He said, smiling as Maka laid her head back on his chest.

* * *

"Maka!" Soul called out excitedly as he ran inside the cave, a large gray feather in hand.

He ran over to Maka, seated on the edge of the couch and held it up to her. "Look at what I found!" He couldn't stop smiling, a mix of excitement and just something inside of him giving him a really good feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"What is it?" Maka asked in reply.

"I think it might be from Griff. You've said you had tracking abilities, right? Do you think you could find him?"

"Not _abilities;_ I have _skills._ There's a difference, Soul." she corrected. The way she spoke, with a feel of intelligence, teaching, and care made the good feeling inside him spread. Although, he couldn't help but feel like a small child as he looked up at her from his seat on the floor next to the couch.

"Well, do you think your _skills_ could help find Griff?" Soul asked, making sure to prove to her that he listened to her.

"Maybe, it depends. If anything, I'd say it'd have to be tomorrow though, because it's starting to get dark."

"But do you really think…" He trailed off, seeing her caring smile. She looked like a mother. No, that wasn't the right word. He couldn't figure out what she looked like, it was something. Someone who showed genuine care. Something who enjoyed seeing the happiness of another. Someone who…

"Of course I really think so. Would I lie?" She looked at him, focusing her eyes on him. Oh, how he could get lost in the forest of her irises. He could spend an eternity staring into them and it still would not be enough

"I trust you, don't worry. I just... I don't know. I don't want a false sense of hope." His shoulders slumped, having lost his excitement with the weight of inevitable disappointment. Because with his life, and his luck, disappointment _will_ happen.

"No. Don't doubt. It'll work out. I'll make sure of it. We'll find Griff, no matter what." Her smile was so reassuring to him. It filled him with hope, like she meant what she said, like she was serious, like it was all actually possible.

"Maka," He couldn't find anything else to say. What else was there? There was so much he wanted to tell her but no words could form.

He moved to a seat on the couch, draping his arm on the back of it and facing Maka. She formed a tiny smile directed at him and it made him smile back, probably bigger than hers. It just filled his soul with a happiness that was unexplainable. He didn't know what it was. It was something big; something genuine; something wonderful.

"Did you want to say something, Soul?" she spoke with that understanding and expectant tone of hers. The one she used so often that made him feel so comfortable, so welcome in a conversation. It was a good feeling, he had decided.

"I…" Yes, he did want to. But what were the words? There was something; something very specific and important.

"Yes?"

He looked up to meet her gaze. There was such a vastness in her eyes, something about them felt so open and gave him a sense of... something… Made him feel… at home. Her eyes were swirls of emerald, but infinitely more precious. The desire to stare into them forever and be lost in them till his last dying breath was overwhelming. They felt just as they did all those months ago when they'd started to talk, to become friends, and eventually harboring affections towards each other. They felt so calming and level, kind and peaceful.

Suddenly, like a burst of wind; a punch to the stomach, like a loud screech of an eagle; the word came to him. He sounded it out in his mind and it sounded like bells. They were low and deep bells, like the kind that would ring on the hour back in the capital.

All he needed to do was to say it out loud.

"Maka, I…" She looked at him, expectantly. Her anticipation didn't make him more nervous. It was quite the opposite, actually. It made him feel calmer, made him feel like he could actually say it. "Maka, I love you."

The look of surprise on Maka's face made him lose all courage he had gathered to say it. He screwed up, he shouldn't have said it, he ruined everything. _He was a failure, and now she would want to run away from him._

He had looked away, unable to bear the look of shock on her face, when she gently grabbed his chin to bring him back to look at her.

"I love you, too, Soul." The sound of the word coming from her lips. Her voice like the higher, softer, more delicate bells one would hear tinkling during holidays, mixed with the lower, deeper ones that accompanied the single word, joined together in a chorus of music. It brought him to a happier place. It brought him home. Maka was his home and to know she felt the same way about him that he did her brought him such joy and ecstasy.

He leaned forward, wanting, no, _needing,_ to be closer to her. His hand moved with him, and he noted the placement of it. It was resting just on her knee, sliding farther up her mostly bare leg, aside from the short dress she wore.

He looked up at her, meeting her eyes that reflected his own thoughts. "Maka," he whispered before leaning all the way forward to press his lips to hers.

At first their noses were squished against each other's cheekbones, and their mouths were awkwardly positioned. They both tried turning their heads, both going the wrong way resulting in bumped noses and them both breaking apart in a fit of laughs.

"Try again?" she asked, when she got through most of her giggles.

"If you want."

She nodded, and this time they both leaned in, much slower than last time. They both angled their heads, and when they met it felt much more natural. Soul revelled in the feel of how soft her lips were, how they felt, how they moved with his once they got into the rhythm.

They pulled apart again, with smiles instead of laughter, but the same joyful feeling as they rested their foreheads together.

"I love you so much, Maka." he said softly.

"You too," Maka whispered back.

"Can we… Can we try again? But maybe longer this time?"

Her breath hit his neck as she let a laugh out through her nose. She picked her head up and smiled at him, saying "Yes."

His hands automatically went to cup her cheeks, feeling it was the most natural thing to do, and he leaned in for another kiss. This one was definitely longer, more smooth and drawn out, it felt soft and had more passion in it. He felt her place one hand on his cheek as the other slid to the back of his neck. Her hand was soft and delicate. He remembered they used to have callouses on them, they were well used, not this pristine perfect skin that was resting on his face.

He leaned deeper into the kiss, and she leaned back, pulling him with her as she moved to a laying position on the couch. She moved her hand from his cheek up into his hair. The kiss started to get breathy and more intense. It seemed like she knew more about it than he did. It was almost like she took charge and was leading, and he was perfectly content with it.

And that's exactly what he let her do, as she pulled him as far into the kiss as he could go. He let her lead him, let her guide him, and let her be in charge. He was happy to follow. When it was with Maka, it all felt so natural. Like they were made for each other, they fit together perfectly together, and that's how they were created. She was all he needed, and he felt that, maybe, just maybe, he might be the same for her.


	5. Chapter 5

_Where was Black Star?_ He was the last one that Spirit absolutely needed to talk to. Given how early it was, he was probably still sleeping inside his tent. As Spirit rounded the corner on his way to the tent, he heard a bouncy giggle, unmistakably from Patti, - and he took the detour to see what she was doing out at this hour.

Making his way over to where she was - this one spot in the middle of a thick circle of trees, - and another voice joined in the conversation. _Wait, was that…?_

He parted some of the trees to see that, sure enough, it was Patti talking with Black Star.

"What are you two talking about out here so early?" he asked as he passed into the center with them.

"Cherry Top, do you remember those guys who stayed at our camp for dinner that one time?" Patti asked as soon as she fully registered he was standing there.

"Yeah, of course I do. Why?"

"Do you remember all they said to us?"

"Well, of course I don't know every word they said but…"

"No silly," She smacked her hand to her forehead. "I mean, do you remember everything they said about the angel thief and about the whole 'What it means to be a good person'?" Do ya remember that?"

"Yeah, I do, why?" Spirit had a sneaking suspicion of where this conversation was headed, but with Patti there was never any telling for sure.

"Well, I think it's important, and we should _really_ think about all that they said."

Spirit furrowed his brow, making sure he understood what she meant. He gave her a questioning look, which she returned with an emphatic gesture with her arms.

"I think it's important."

"Alright, tell me what you're thinking."

The sounds of someone entering the tent and sensing another presence in the area was enough to wake Soul up. He looked down at Maka, who was still sound asleep in his lap, before turning his gaze toward the entrance, meeting face to face with a tall blonde with striking blue eyes. She held a finger to her lips to keep him quiet, and she walked around to the other side of the pole at the center of the tent.

The cold of her hand was a shock when it came into contact with his arm. But the feeling of free wrists was good enough to forget about it.

Immediately he rubbed his wrists, trying to rub the pain and feeling of restriction away. After his wrists stopped burning as badly, he wrapped Maka in a warm embrace, finally being able to feel her in his arms.

"Soul, is it?" The blonde who cut the ropes asked. He nodded his response, wanting to stay as quiet as he could so he wouldn't wake Maka. "My name is Liz, and I don't think Black Star is going to change his mind on your punishment."

"Thanks for telling me that. Now I have something to look forward to."

"Maybe if you listened to the rest of what I had to say, then you actually would have something." She turned around and started to stand up, but he grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"I'm sorry. You can probably tell I'm not in the best of moods, but I'm sorry for not listening."

"Okay so here's the thing," she started, when Maka started stirring in Soul's arms.

They both paused and looked down at Maka. A brief moment of stirring before green peeked out underneath sleepy eyelids. She opened her eyes all the way, jerking her head up and covering Soul's body with her own when she saw Liz in front of her.

"Liz, what are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Calm down, I'm on your side. I was just about to explain that to him when you woke up. So, basically, I doubt Black Star will ever change his mind about punishment, so I'm here to sneak you out of here, mister."

"Out of the camp? But how far will I get before Black Star comes to find me again?" he asked.

"That doesn't matter. You'll get out of here and Maka will stick around and we'll try to convince Black Star to stop being a complete idiot. Sound good?"

"Easier said than done," Maka remarked but clearly bothered. Just before she could inquire about her role at the camp rather than at Soul's side however, Liz continued onwards.

"Yeah, don't I know it. But anyway, should we get you out of here now?"

Soul shrugged, but watched Maka from the corner of his eyes, wondering if this was truly good bye.

They were all about to stand up when they heard "Everybody wake up and meet me out here!"

"Spirit," Liz growled. "Let me go see what's up." Liz tossed them a wink and then got up and walked out.

Maka grabbed Soul's hand as they tried to listen to what they were saying outside. It was all hushed whispers and quiet talking; they couldn't make out any words spoken.

It eased into silence, and they paused a moment, waiting for something to happen. Liz showed up back at the entrance of the tent, gesturing for them to come with her.

They each exchanged looks before following after her, abandoning their previous plans. Liz led them to the rest of the group sitting down around the campfire. Maka squeezed Soul's hand tighter, and he rubbed his thumb along hers to let her know that he's right there with her.

"Ah good, we're all here." Spirit said as they sat down on a log. His voice was serious and formal, though he glared at their clasped hands.

Soul's chances did not look good.

"Soul, you stole an angel, one of the most severe crimes, which is punishable by death. It is our job to carry out such punishments as assassins of the law. However, if there's something you want to say in your defense, by all means, go ahead. But your status is very clear to us."

Alright, this was an opportunity to bail himself out. Maybe he could think of something.

"Hey, I didn't steal her, when I- um, found Maka, she had an injured wing and I brought her back to my cave out of danger. There are lots of wild animals out in the forest that could have easily caught her and killed her or eaten her." Every word he was spewing was such terrible bullshit, but he was sure he could come up with more. "Then she stayed with me of her own free will after I released her. She offered to help me take better care of myself, since I often forget how important that is. So, it was her choice to stay, it's not like I forced her."

"Is this true, Maka?" Spirit looked at his daughter, receiving a nod in response. "Well Soul, your crimes are still very evident, and the fact that it was my daughter whom you stole doesn't help your case. Not even to mention the rest of those animals we saw in your cave."

"I already told you, I did not 'steal' an angel. I helped her. Gave her shelter when she was hurt and needed it."

"And the animals?"

"Is that punishable by death? I made sure to get each one when they were in season, so it should be legal. Besides, they were kept happy and thrived." _Yeah right, Soul. Like that was even true._

"That would be up to those in the capital, so if you'd rather be left in their hands…"

"Yeah, fuck no." he grumbled under his breath.

Spirit knew more than Soul gave him credit for. He was just good at this game as Soul, if not better. And, to top it off, Spirit had the advantage.

"Papa," Maka let go of Soul's hand, as she stood up to make her point. "I don't believe he's done something deserving of death. No, he didn't _steal_ me. Like he said, I stayed with him by choice. Killing him is too far and we've already negated the only reason you had to kill him, you shouldn't have any reason left to follow through with this."

The look on Spirit's face had an air of putting himself above what Maka had to say. He looked as if he didn't even listen to her.

"Maka, that all sounds good but, I have made up my mind, and you can't change my decision."

Soul saw the look on Maka's face. It went from anger and sadness to realisation. At that moment, he felt like everyone else knew something that he didn't, and he was completely lost.

"What is your decision?" Maka asked, a knowing smile on her face.

"What do you mean? Have I not already expressed it?"

"No, you haven't. You've stated the punishment of the crime, and you've stated that it is your job. You never said you were going to carry out the punishment." Maka was practically bouncing, a feeling of smugness clear on her face.

His frown slowly morphed into a proud smile. "You've caught me, Maka." He said, clapping a hand on her back, prompting another wide grin from Maka. "Soul, if you could stand up." He gestured for him to stand. "I have decided, that, your crimes are, indeed, questionably deserving of the death sentence, we figured that there were some things that could be overlooked. The capital hasn't been informed yet. I think we can slide this under the rug. They probably wouldn't know it was you who stole the angel anyway."

"Maybe someday I'll go back, but I've got stuff to straighten out before then, you know." Soul said, unable to hold back his smile.

"Also," Kid spoke up with his simple and cool voice. "If you ever need something from the capital specifically, then we could always send Black Star."

"Hey, why me and not you?"

"Because you're the easiest one to send out on an errand run." he said, easily catching the punch thrown at him from Black Star.

Maka launched at Soul, pulling him into a tight embrace. He loved the feel of her, the warmth that emanated from her that spread to his core, he wanted to stay in her arms forever and never let go.

"Well, Soul," Spirit said, coming over and breaking apart the hug. So much for never letting go of her. "I was thinking that you could join our team of assassins, if you wanted to."

Soul looked between Spirit and Maka, they both had the same expression, patiently waiting for a response. They were definitely father and daughter, that much was clear as day. They had similar face shapes, but none of the same colouring. They looked so different and so similar.

He hesitated. The offer was there, clear as day, but he wasn't a person who travelled in groups, let alone becoming an assassin. Soul didn't think to choose his next words carefully. "Well, I still have a quest to go on with your daughter-" but he stopped at the sight of her broken expression, regretted his quick decision instantly. After all she'd done for him, was this what he wanted to give her in return?

Memories of his cave returned to him, full of rarity but nothing to fill his heart like Maka had. He was alone there, trapped with just the darkness of his rooms and the voice in his head to keep him company.

But here, he could have a new place in the world, a chance to make things right. It was the least he could do, to mend himself for her. With Maka. He would follow her and her light. She would guide his way.

He looked back at Spirit with a new fire in his eyes, ablaze with resolve, tightening his grip on Maka's hand. "But, after we come back, if the offer still stands, I'd… love to take you up on it." She pulled herself closer to him, and he wrapped his arm around her in a tight embrace.

"Oh? And what is this… quest you want to go on with my daughter?"

"Well, I am in need of her tracking skills to find something I lost a long time ago. We recently found something from it that would lead us to it, and, so we don't lose the trail, I'd like to start sometime soon."

There was an unmistakeable look of sadness in his eyes, and Soul realised why. Maka had been gone for a year and he wanted to just take her away right after she comes back into their lives.

"But I… I feel like you two should have a minute alone" Soul said, letting go of Maka and gently pushing her toward her father. "It's been awhile since you've seen each other, and you should catch up, talk to each other."

Soul left to give them some space to talk and walked off to sit down over on one of the logs around the campfire. Shortly after sitting down, Patti came over to him, asking him questions about all the animals in his cave, if she could keep one of the eagles, if she could keep a griffin, if she could _ride_ a griffin, what his favourite kind of eagle was. It was a bit overwhelming to say the least, she had a very large, exuberant presence that was hard to get used to. He did his best answering her questions, and told her he'd _think_ about letting her keep an eagle.

She continued to talk his ear off for the rest of the afternoon, asking all kinds of question, telling all kinds of stories - the story involving a chicken, a horse, and a big bowl of peanut butter, he would never forget, or believe for that matter. Occasionally one of the others would come over to them and join in the conversation, or distract Patti enough to give Soul some space.

Around the time of sunset, Maka finally found her way back to Soul. She explained to him that she talked with Spirit and talked a little bit with Black Star, and they were fine with him and her leaving to find his lost hippogriff.

"So we'll head out bright and early tomorrow morning." she said, happily.

"Alright, sounds good."

They both smiled at each other, no words were said for a long moment. Soul saw his opportunity, he leaned in to kiss her, and this time, he was going to get it right on his first try. No uncomfortable squashing of noses, no awkward lip placement, he was going to get it right. Their lips met, and it was a success. He accomplished his goal and it was actually a good kiss.

"Woowwweeeeee!" Patti shouted right in their ears, startling them, causing them to break away from the kiss.

Patti burst into a fit of laughs and Soul sighed.

So much for the perfect kiss.


End file.
